The Seer Girl
by LadyKnightAllayia
Summary: All about Irnai, from her journey to Rathhausak on.
1. Chapter 1

**a/n; This is my first story, so sorry if it isn't too good. I am already working on the next chapter and expect it to be up within the next hmmm... Before midnight tonight. Please review with ideas. Constructive criticism is great too. How far do you think I should go with this story? I'm rambling, aren't I? Anyway...**

**Disclaimer; The Tortallan world and most of the characters belong to Tamora Pierce.**

Irani was always different. She was short for a six year old, and she often had visions, or spouted nonsensical words. She had old, knowing eyes set in her face, something that often unnerved those around her. To the other villagers, she said that her visions were sent to her from the god Shakith, that she was one of his chosen. One day, Irani was outside, in one of the towns few gardens, when she froze. This was nothing unusual to the people around her, since she did it about once a week, and woke up saying that the god had called on her once again. The people left her there, standing in the mud. They didn't often touch her during these spells, or at any other time, for that matter, thinking she had some disease that might be contagious. Irani came back to the real world slowly, a little while later. She stood up, and announced to the people that the god Shakith had called on her to go to Rathhausak. This surprised some people, since Irani never acted upon anything she foresaw, yet there was no one that tried to stop her. No one wanted the mad orphan girl. They let her go, expecting that she would be dead before nightfall.

**Sorry it's short. Next on will be longer, and from Irani's point of view.**


	2. Chapter 2

**a/n; Here is chapter two already! Yay! This part of the story is from Irani's perspective.**

Disclaimer; Tamora Pierce owns the Tortallan world and most of the characters.

I walked out of the village later that very same day. For many, it would be difficult to leave everything they have ever known behind. Not me. All I have ever known, since my parents died when I was a baby, was cruelty and scorn. I could leave that behind any day. I had no idea where I was going, just that Shakith would help me get there. He had shown me a picture in my mind, of a large castle and a nearly deserted village. It was Rathhausak. It was the lair of the necromancer Blayce, who killed children and stole their souls. It was also my destination.

I walked straight into the forest, without even a backwards glance. You're going the wrong way. Said Shakith's amused voice in my head. "Well, if I am, then why don't you tell me the correct way to go?" Other people labeled me mad for talking to myself, but in truth, I am usually speaking with Shakith. It had made the other children avoid me. Turn left. I did so. Not that much! Good, now, go forwards. That is the direction you must go to reach Castle Rathhausak I started walking at a brisk pace. After the sun set, I found a small crevice in the side of a mountain which I crawled into, to escape the worst of the night's cold. I ate some of the bread that I had brought, and wrapped my thick wool cloak tighter around me.

That night was uneventful. I got up early, ate a few berries from a nearby bush, and continued to head the direction Shakith told me to; southeast.

Around midday, I stopped for a break by a stream with cold, fresh water. As I was bending down to take a drink, I heard Shakith's voice in my head. Irani! Hide! Quickly! Slavers are coming, and they won't hesitate to grab you if you aren't hidden! Quickly, I wormed my way into a pile of boulders, so the slavers wouldn't see me. I was barely hidden when a large group of people came into view. There were several men on horses in the front, and wagons following behind where small children sat in chains. Those people are taking the children to Rathhausak said Shakith. They will be killed and their spirits turned into monsters. I watched, horrified, as the wagons passed. There were many children, and once Blayce was done with them, there would be the same amount of metal monsters.

You can follow them, said the voice of Shakith. They have plenty of food you can steal, and they will lead you straight to your destination. Just try not to get caught. Shakith's voice then faded from my mind.

I waited until the slavers and their wagons were nearly out of sight, then followed as quietly as I could. I followed them all day, until they made camp near a river, I don't know what its name was. Once all of the children and slavers were asleep, except for the guards, I crept up silently. I stole up to the wagons, and climbed inside one of them that thankfully had been left unguarded. It contained maybe ten sleeping toddlers, and there were also large bags of food stashed in the back. Picking through them, I ate a little bit of bread and cheese, enough to fill me but not enough to be missed. As quietly as I could, I crept back out of the wagon and settled into the base of a hollow tree just outside the range that any patrols might wander, if the slavers decided to actually send any.

So it continued for about a week. I had a few close shaves when stealing food, but nothing that I couldn't get out of, especially since I had Shakith to help me in the trickiest places. After a week and a half on the road, we crested a hill, and I got a brilliant view of Castle Rathhausak I stayed on top of the hill that night, while the slavers went directly to the castle. In the morning, I got up early and walked down to the village, wary for anyone that might try to take me to Blayce.****

Any good? Still working on length. Do you want longer chapters, longer waits, or shorter chapters, shorter waits? Please review with ideas and or constructive criticism.


	3. Chapter 3

When I first saw the village, I thought it was deserted. There were no people working outside, no children playing in the streets. Everywhere I looked I saw abandoned barns, tools lying in the streets. The houses looked empty and a feeling of depression hung over it like a blanket. I walked around a bit, and started to see subtle signs of life; Clothes hanging out to dry, the light of a fire peering through a dusty window. The people where there, but they were hiding. I walked up to a building that appeared to be an inn, and stepped inside. It was empty, but when he heard me enter, an old man walked into the room. He was short, and his previously blonde hair was now white with age. He was relatively well groomed, but it looked as if he hadn't eaten very well for a long time. He gaped at me for a minute, surprised. Once he got over his shock, whatever it could be from, he sat me down and asked if I needed anything.

"I ate not too long ago," I told him, and I had, just before I walked into town. "Do you know if there is a place where I could stay in this town?" He was surprised, once again, by my knowing eyes and words, the ones that made me seem like a wise old woman in a child's body.

"One moment, Miss. Why don't you wait in the back, while I go to ask Miss Ilsa what she thinks." The man hurried out of the room, supposedly to fetch Miss Ilsa. He scurried back in, quite quickly for such an old man. A middle aged woman followed him.

She was tall, and had white hair that was pulled back fiercely. Like the man, she was scarily thin. She looked at me quizzically, before asking my name.

"I'm called Irnai, Mistress." I told her.

"Why did you come here, Irnai? Are you alone?"

I nodded. "I am alone. I am here because I was sent by Shakith." Then, I heard the goddess's voice in my head again._ Child, tell them this; 'The Protector of the Small shall come with justice, a royal horse, the great sword of courage and her friends from abroad. Blayce will fall.'_ I repeated the words to the adults, who stared at me like I was mad.

"Are you a seer, girl?" asked Ilsa after a long moment.

I thought about that. I guess I fit the description of a seer, so I nodded. The two adults stepped away from me and had a fast and furious whispered conversation, probably about me.

Ilsa turned back to me. "You may stay with me for the time being, seer-child. Careful to stay away from the soldiers though. If they find you they will drag you up to the castle." I smiled my thanks, and followed Ilsa when she beckoned to me. We hurried through the town until we came to a small house. It looked old, and was in need of some work. Ilsa led me inside, and showed me to a small room with a bed and a small wardrobe made of roughly carved wood. It looked like it might have been used as a guest room in the past.

"You may stay here, girl. Don't go outside, lest the soldiers see you."

I nodded and took off my cloak. The place looked comfortable enough, and Ilsa seemed nice. My next two months were spent in this building, even though I was introduced to most of the villagers, who were all either women or old men. I helped Ilsa with laundry, and occasionally cooking or other chores. There wasn't much food, but with all the children and young men gone, there was enough to keep the village fed. More than once, I looked outside to see soldiers shepherding groups of children to the castle, often led by the man the villagers called Kinslayer. Just a few weeks after I arrived, the first killing machines started coming out of the castle. The first few didn't work so well, but they got better and better. They started migrating south, a couple every other day. They were huge monsters made completely of metal, with knives for hands and feet; the villagers who went outside always gave them a wide berth. One day, about two months after I had arrived, the innkeeper reported seeing a small party on the hill, and Ilsa and I walked to the inn to meet with the other villagers, and defend the town, if you could even call it that, if the need arose.

Once all the people held a makeshift weapon, whether it was a pitchfork, shovel, hoe, or wooden plank, they went outside to meet the newcomers, leaving me on my own inside the inn.


End file.
